Never is an Awfully Long Time
by HufflepuffJessica
Summary: Five years have passed since the last encounter between Peter Pan and Wendy Darling, and things are far from the same. Wendy is all grown up and has been having a hard time handling her life. On her eighteenth birthday she makes a wish...and it comes true.
1. Diamonds

**Wendy**

Wendy was tired. Absolutely and unbearably tired. She set down the brush that she had been grooming her long, wavy, chestnut hair with and studied her reflection in the vanity mirror. Even her face showed obvious signs of exhaustion. Given, she was still very beautiful and everyone knew it. But, the stress of Wendy's life had been taking its toll on not only her appearance, but her mind as well. Wendy could no longer tell the difference between right and wrong, up and down, or simple and complex. She was a mess.

The longer she looked at herself, the more she noticed the little things about her that made her look so ill. Wendy was thin, very thin. She tried to hide her shape by wearing flowing gowns that created space between her body and the fabric but if anyone looked hard enough, they would be able to see the sharp points of her collarbone, her hipbones, and her ribs. Without the gowns, her features would easily be visible and Mother would surely faint from the sight. There wasn't anything Wendy or her family could do about it for Wendy simply just didn't have an appetite anymore. Things were simpler when she was younger.

"Wendy!" Michael, the youngest of the Darling children, rapped his fist on the door, interrupting his sister's train of thought. "Father said it's time to leave. He wants to give you something so come downstairs when you're ready."

Wendy listened closely to the sound of her brother's footsteps dying off in the distance. Having become quite comfortable in her chair at the vanity, she gave her appearance one last look and stood up, sighing in defeat. Special occasions like tonight made Mr. Darling very impatient so Wendy tried her best not to keep her family waiting. Hastily, she put on the new, white, satin gown that Mother had picked out. The fabric flowed to the ground and gathered at her waist in a neat bow. Lace bordered the neckline and intricated in delicate designs throughout the train. Although beautiful, the gown was hugging and didn't give the wearer much room to hide.

Wendy quickly put on the pearl earrings that her Aunt Millicent gave her two years ago and checked her figure one last time in the mirror. Lovely. She looked like a woman.

Still, something was missing. Having been completely covered in beautiful clothes, she still felt naked…bare. She smoothed her hands over her sides and tried to get a feel of what was wrong. Wendy looked around the room, hoping to find what she lacked.

Over the past few years, things had drastically changed for the room that was once a nursery. Shortly after Wendy's thirteenth birthday, John and Michael were moved into the room across the hall in order to give Wendy more opportunity to be a teenager. All three children were very upset with the new arrangements but Wendy quickly became accustomed to her new environment. She greatly appreciated her extra space but there were times when she missed her brothers' company.

For the most part, the room looked the same with a few mild adjustments. The toys and play objects were stored under the bed or in the closet and various vases of flowers took their place and sat on almost every flat surface that was available. Paintings of fields and trees hung on the walls to cover up the skid marks that the children had somehow made when they were kids. In the corner by the window was a waist-high jewelry box that held the rings, necklaces, and bracelets that Wendy had collected over the years. A small couch was added next to the brick fireplace, giving Wendy a place to read in the winter. The rest of walls were littered with shelves of books that held the tales of hate, adventure, and love.

The only thing in the room that Wendy refused to change was her bed. Her quilt comforter still hugged the mattress and her favorite doll was still settled at the head of her pillow. Mrs. Darling had insisted on moving the bed to the corner in order to move a new and bigger rug into the middle of the room but Wendy had held her ground and put up quite a fight. She would never move her bed for it was positioned exactly where she liked it; directly opposite the window that Wendy always kept unlocked for a very special boy.

The sudden thought of him caused Wendy to recall what she was missing. In the third drawer of her jewelry box, hidden under the board, was her favorite accessory. Attached to the end of a silver chain, hung an acorn. It was his kiss. Wendy fastened the necklace around her neck and watched as it fell just past the throat of her dress. It had been years since Wendy had worn it.

"Please Wendy, we must leave." This time it was Mother who called.

Wendy tucked the kiss into her dress and rapidly put on her heels that she avoided wearing at all costs. Even though they hurt, they were the biggest highlight in London and Wendy was expected to wear them even though she would rather go barefoot.

Completely sure that she was ready; Wendy exited her room and made her way down the stairs. Waiting at the foot of the steps was her family. John and Michael were almost identical in matching black suits that made them look older than they really were. She hated to admit it, but the boys really were older than she gave them credit for; Michael was newly thirteen and John was a young man at sixteen. Father, who looked almost exactly the same as the boys, towered over them. Appearance wise, he and John looked the most alike while Wendy and Michael took after their mother. Mary Darling stood next to her husband and stole the scene with her beautiful appearance. All of Bloomsbury would agree that Mrs. Darling was the loveliest woman of all. The special kiss that was hidden in the right-hand corner of her mouth held Wendy's attention and she was grateful that she was able to share her kiss with someone she loved.

There her family stood. Simple, yet perfect to her. Nana –the family's loving St. Bernard who once served as the children's nurse- slept soundly on the rug that was placed before the door.

Wendy cascaded down the remaining steps and stood before her parents and brothers, allowing them to get a good look at her.

"Lovely. Absolutely lovely." Said her mother in her smooth alto voice. That meant a lot coming from someone who Wendy idolized.

"Thank you Mother." Replied Wendy with a smile. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I was daydreaming."

Mr. Darling stepped out from behind Michael and reached for Wendy's hand, leading her down the final step, "Never mind that dear, we have something small for you before we go."

Wendy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. How could they present her with a gift when they have given her so much already? Answering her unspoken question, George Darling pulled a white box out of his coat pocket and handed it to his daughter. Wendy studied the box for a short moment before reaching out to collect it. The box was smooth and soft, like velvet. Velvet was expensive which made Wendy uneasy about her parents getting her an unnecessary gift.

Wendy opened the box stared in awe at the object. Inside the box was a beautiful hair clip that was comprised entirely of rhinestones. A rhinestone, larger than the others and shaped like a star, was strategically placed at the center of the clip.

"It's perfect. Thank you so much, but you didn't have to get me anything."

"Nonsense." Replied Mother who removed the clip from the box. She spun Wendy around by her shoulders and moved all of her hair so it fell down her back. With both hands, Mother gathered hair from either side of Wendy's face and fastened the clip in the middle. It shone brightly against Wendy's soft hair. "_Now_ you're ready." She added.

"And heavens would you look at the time!" Said Father with a glance at his watch that had been passed down by each generation of Darlings. "Come along children, we don't want to keep our guests waiting any longer."

The Darling family all slipped on their coats and out the front door they went; Mr. and Mrs. Darling in the lead, John and Michael close behind, and Wendy, trying not to think about the killing pain coming from her feet, trudged along a little slower than the rest.

It was a cold night. The wind nipped at her cheeks and Wendy knew that they were probably red and chappy. The hair that was not fastened in the clip flew around her shoulders furiously, but she didn't care. It was just hair after all.

Wendy kept steady pace behind her family as she studied the sky above her. The moon was high and the stars were scattered like freckles in the night. The lights of the town enabled her to get a good view of them but she knew they were out there, and, boy, were they beautiful. Some were even glistening. She tried very hard to locate one star in particular but it was very difficult to see it with so many out tonight. Plus, she wasn't looking to fall and make a fool out of herself. Actually, the more Wendy looked at the stars, the more she came to the conclusion that they were moving; it was like a diamond was darting in the direction of her town. Wendy held her breath and prayed the speck of shooting light would land on her house, waiting for her.

The light did nothing more than race across the sky directly over her head. She released the air she had been holding and came to the conclusion that it was just a shooting star.

"Make a wish." Wendy said to herself softly. Without losing her footing, Wendy closed her eyes and asked for the same thing she asked for each year on her birthday…the same wish she would ask for on every birthday she would ever have.


	2. The Party

Wendy

Wendy used to really enjoy her birthday parties, but now she dreaded them. How could she celebrate her life when each year was just proof that she was growing up? Eighteen. Eighteen years completely gone.

This birthday party was _extra_ dreadful.

Over the past few years, Mr. Darling's position at the bank had vastly improved; he was now the financial advisor to the bank's president. One of the perks of being close to the president was access to properties that the company owned, such as the building where Wendy's party was being held. It was directly across the bank and only a few blocks down from Wendy's home.

The decorations and interior design of the room were very well put together. The bank's interns had spent almost all day hanging streamers and lights around the room to make it seem as welcoming and festive as possible. A beautiful chandelier hung down from the center of the ceiling, producing a magnificent glow throughout the space. Wendy had to admit that even though she wasn't in the mood to have a party, the setting was absolutely beautiful and her spirit was slightly lifted when she stepped through the threshold.

Wendy was also completely taken back by the amount of people that were somehow taking up almost every inch of floor space. There were some people she knew and some people that she had never seen in her entire life; she assumed they were father's colleagues.

Many of the guests clapped and shouted cheers of excitement at Wendy when she walked in. She only had a moment to catch her breath when several of her friends from school rushed over to admire her attire for the evening. Hands reached out to feel her hair, her pendant, the fabric and lace of her gown. It was all very overwhelming and Wendy was sure she was going to suffocate amidst the commotion but luckily, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her from the cramped circle that had been engulfing her. As soon as they were out of the clear, Wendy caught her breath and glanced at the face of her rescuer.

"Oh! William…" Wendy was surprised to see the face of William Quiller Couch, the grandson of Mr. Darling's boss, Sir Edward. William went to Wendy's school and was in many of her classes before they graduated and received their marks that would help them in the real world. Wendy had not spoken to him since leaving school at the end of term, but when she saw him, she still found him as handsome as he had always been. William was only a year older than Wendy, but he much taller and had a masculine build to him. He had curly, light blond hair that fell to his ears and just passed his hazel eyes and a strong face that Wendy believed the great Michelangelo must have sculpted.

Wendy did not realize that she had been staring at William like a little girl until his eyebrows rose in confusion as he waited for Wendy to say something else.

"Ummm…I…" Surely he thought she was an idiot seeing as she couldn't even put a proper sentence together.

"Forgive me, Miss Darling." He began in his sweet, smooth voice. "I did not mean to pull you away from your guests but your expression led me to believe that you needed saving from their malicious hands."

"Your intentions are honorary for I don't know how I could have survived without your heroic deeds." She said as she smiled and let out a small chuckle.

The corners of William's mouth rose as he looked down at his feet, anxiously. "I could never leave you to fend for yourself."

At this, Wendy broke out into a full on laugh. "I'm completely helpless." She said, stepping back and holding up her dress in a curtsy, "And I am forever in your debt, dear William." She continued to giggle as she rose.

Refusing to break his grin, William stepped back and made his bow to her as she did to him. Before straightening up, he grabbed her left hand and kissed the top causing Wendy's cheeks to burn and turn red.

"Forever begins today." He said, his mouth still lingering on her hand. "Happy birthday, Miss Darling." His eyes stayed on hers for just a moment longer before disconnecting as he stood up and walked away.

Wendy continued to stand in the middle of the room as she watched William walk away into the crowd. What did he mean by "forever begins today"? Wendy lifted her hand and lightly touched the spot he had kissed; it tingled. Soon, a string quartet began to play their selection and countless couples began to dance around Wendy to the rhythm. Wanting to avoid being stepped and pushed on, Wendy moved out of the way and made her way to the wall where her Aunt Millicent was standing with Wendy's mother.

"Wendy dear!" Aunt Millicent said as soon as she spotted Wendy. Over the years, Wendy had spent quite a lot of time with her aunt and they became quite accustomed to each other's company. Aunt Millicent pulled Wendy in for a hug after kissing both sides of her cheeks and whispered in her ear, "You look absolutely darling."

"Thank you Aunt." Wendy replied, taking her place next to her mother.

Mrs. Darling turned to face her daughter and grabbed her arm with a look of complete joy on her face. "What did you say?"

Wendy furrowed her eyebrows. "What did I say to what?" She asked, completely confused to what her mother was referring to.

"What did you say when he asked you?"

"Who?" Now she was becoming frustrated.

"Why William of course! Who else would I mean?" Said her mother who did not understand why Wendy was being so difficult.

"But Mother, I really _don't_ know what you mean." Wendy was sure she was missing a vital piece of this conversation and she felt very lost not knowing what anyone was talking about. "What was William supposed to ask me?"

At this question, Mrs. Darling's smile faded as she dropped her hand from Wendy's arm. "Why…" She exhaled rather loudly and shook her head as she pondered how to phrase her next sentence. "You see darling…William…William was going to ask for your hand." Her eyes held a hint of sadness. "He was going to ask you to marry him."

Wendy's heart stopped for a minute but slowly restarted as she tried to process what her mother had just said. From across the room, Mr. Darling and Sir Edward were shaking hands as if sealing the deal between joining their families. Wendy could not believe it.

"How do you know for certain?" She wondered aloud to Mrs. Darling, not knowing if she really wanted to hear the answer.

"My love," Her Mother looked down and tried to find the right words, "we all knew about it. This isn't just your birthday party; this is your engagement party. We knew for weeks that he was going to ask you."

Weeks. They knew for weeks.

"But…" Suddenly, Wendy felt every eye in the room fall on her and she was certain everyone at her party knew about William's proposal as well. Wendy searched with her eyes and tried to locate him in the grand hall; he was chatting with a few boys that had been in Wendy's class. One of the boys clapped William on the shoulder, surely congratulating him for his soon-to-be engagement. In that moment, Wendy recognized for the first time, a square shaped object at the bottom of his right coat pocket. As soon as she spotted it she knew what it was- the ring. The diamond ring that would sit on her left ring finger for forever. The huge rock would draw everyone's attention and she would be forced to continuously tell the story of how they met, how they became engaged, how they got married, how they did everything together. She would be a part of his family. His huge, elaborate, sophisticated family. She would have to be a proper lady and dress up to events and represent her husband at all times.

But, she didn't want that. She didn't want any of that. Wendy was the type of person who wanted to write and love and laugh and be free and fly. OH! How she wanted to fly! She would never be able to do any of those things with William, she would never fly again.

"Mother, I do not wish to marry him!" She tried to make her eyes seem as pleading as possible.

Aunt Millicent chose that second to chime in, "Wendy please, don't be ridicules. William is handsome, educated, and he could give you everything you could ever want." She continued to babble on about how great her life would be but Wendy was no longer listening. Her heart was beating out of her chest and she was sure her gown was becoming tighter and tighter by the minute.

Wendy couldn't breathe and her vision was starting to cloud. Why didn't she eat anything today? Blackness was starting to seep from the bottom up and she knew that it was only a matter of time before she hit the floor. Dark…it was becoming dark…

"Wendy!" The sweet sound of her mother's voice brought Wendy back. Several tears slipped from her eyes as she opened them and realized that she was gripping her mother's arm for support. Aunt Millicent had stopped talking and now had an arm around Wendy's waist. Mrs. Darling had an expression of pure panic on her face as she held her oldest child around her shoulders, attempting to keep her in an upright position. "Darling, what's happening? Are you alright?"

Wendy did not fall but she came awfully close. "Mother I…" Where did her words go? Why was she crying when this was supposed to be a happy day, a day of celebration?

Mrs. Darling leaned forward and made sure only Wendy would hear her next words. "Do you love him?" She whispered softly.

A few more tears slipped from her eyes and she tried to wipe them but she knew they would leave her face red and splotchy. Wendy only had to shake her head once for her mother to understand. Mrs. Darling saw the pain in Wendy's eyes and immediately recognized the feelings behind them. She recalled one night when she told Wendy the story of how Wendy's grandfather forced Mrs. Darling into marrying a young man from the neighboring town. Mrs. Darling fought and fought against her parents and eventually ran off to live in Bloomsbury where she met Mr. Darling. They got married a year later and at that time, Mrs. Darling returned to her town where she faced her father and introduced to him her new husband. She spent that evening holding her father as he cried and tried to explain his belief that she was gone forever. Mrs. Darling became still as she looked at Wendy. She pulled her into a tight embrace, a mother's embrace that could cure the toughest of worries.

Wendy buried her face in her mother's neck and let out one last sob. She would never forget her mother's scent, lilac and vanilla. Before their hug could be rightfully finished, Mr. Darling grabbed Wendy by the hand. "Come along dear, there is something William must ask you." To her horror, he was leading Wendy to the center of the room where William was standing. The entire guest list had gathered in a circle around him.

"Father no, please!" She tried to slip her hand free, but Mr. Darling's excitement was too strong. It took no time at all for him to pull Wendy through the crowd and directly in front of William. To Wendy, it felt like her father was dropping her off at someone's doorstep, waiting for them to take her into their family. She turned around to the crowd, looking for someone to help her.

Her brothers stood side-by-side completely oblivious to the previous confrontation that had just taken place. John gave his big sister a thumbs up, somehow knowing that she was not in good spirits. Aunt Millicent had both hands on John and Michael's shoulders and still had a look of concern for her only niece. Wendy averted her eyes to the left and saw her mother standing there. She knew she wanted to help but in this situation, at this moment, there was so little anyone could do. Mr. Darling held his arm around his wife and stood with a look of pride for his daughter. How magnificent it was that his first-born would soon be wed into the most well known family in Bloomsbury. "Stand up straight." He mouthed to her.

Wendy turned her head back to face the last person she wanted to see right now. William was a lovely man but that wasn't enough for Wendy to base her life off of.

"Wendy," He cleared his throat and began what must have been a very well rehearsed speech, "At this time, in front of your family and friends, I would very much like to ask you the most important question of our lives."

More tears escaped Wendy's eyes. "Look how she cries tears of complete joy! Wendy dear, every tear that graces your face pains me. Please, allow me to be the one to wipe them in all circumstances."

"William…" She tried to let out a sentence but her chest stared to heave again and she could feel the air leaving her lungs.

"The suspense must be killing you." William said, not knowing that he was almost spot on with that assumption. "I'll end the pain, love." Slowly, William lowered to his knee and Wendy was sure she was going to faint. Not now, she wasn't ready. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the square box that probably cost more than this building. William held the box in front of him an opened the lid.

From the crowd, Wendy heard a mixed variety of "oohs" and "ahhs." Refusing to look at the ring, Wendy squeezed her eyes shut and slowly started to step back.

"Wendy?" She wasn't sure who said it, father or William, but she didn't stick around to find out.

Rapidly, she spun around and made a run for it. Pushing past people that had been kind enough to show up for her party, she searched and searched for the door. Many people called her name but at the time, she could not hear them and she had no intentions of stopping to chat. Where did the door go? Wendy had a feeling that her father was trying to stop her for she heard her mother shout, "George stop!" several times. The door, the door, the door.

Finally, she spotted the big mahogany door that would lead her to freedom. All she had to do was get past the sea of people and she would be in open air. Ten feet, five feet…almost there. Before anyone else could get in her way, she yanked on the brass knocker and threw herself into the cold November air. Without stopping to take another look into the celebration room, she took off down the street and ran until she could no longer breathe.


	3. Free Falling

**Wendy**

It was hard for Wendy to keep a steady pace but she knew that if she stopped to rest, someone would most likely catch up to her.

The air was crisp and nippy and the wind blew past her with such velocity, she was surprised she didn't freeze or tip over in the least. How she wished she would have grabbed her coat on the way out but as she pondered that thought, she realized that there was no way she would have made it out in time if she did. Oh well, the faster she ran the faster she would be submitted to warm air.

Somehow, the sky had gotten darker over the course of the evening but luckily for Wendy, she knew these streets like the back of her hand and she easily located her home after several minutes of non-stop running. _Just a little further, just a little further_, she thought to herself. She had never been so grateful to see her house and she was even more so when she opened the door and was immediately met with comforting heat. Her skin tingled as she adjusted to the new temperature.

Even though she was the only one in the house, Wendy had no intentions of being within reaching distance when her family decided to return. Without hesitation, she slammed the door shut and reached the stairs, taking them two at a time until she arrived at the top hall. Her bedroom was at the far end, but it took only mere seconds for Wendy to reach it and lock in door in one fluid motion. Her room was the only place in the whole house where she could be alone in complete peace. To her surprise, Nana had been asleep on her bed but now held a look of concern and curiosity at the amount of noise Wendy had been making.

Wendy knelt down until she was eye level with Nana, and put her forehead on her dog's while cupping her ears with her hands. "Sorry Nana." It wasn't the dog's fault that Wendy was upset and Wendy felt bad for alarming her. She scruffed Nana's head and gave her a kiss on the nose before standing upright.

Looking around the room, she was glad to see that everything was exactly as she left it even though she did not know why she thought it wouldn't be. Deciding that she would no longer be needing her dreadful shoes, she slipped them off and was appalled to see that her feet had suffered from the night's activities. On both sides of her small feet, a line of blisters had started to form and blood had even begun to spot on her soles and on the backs of her ankles. Her shoes held the same evidence, for there were bloodstains where her feet had just been only seconds earlier. _Perfect._

Knowing that Mother would want a full explanation as to why there was blood on the carpet, Wendy cascaded to her desk and pulled out a roll of bandages that she always kept handy. She then proceeded to sit on the edge of her bed and wrap her bloody feet before any more of a mess could be made on her floor. Once her feet no longer looked grotesque, she returned to her desk and put the bandages back in their rightful place in the third drawer on the left. It had been awhile since Wendy had been through her desk. She usually only used it for writing stories but lately, she hadn't seen the need to document any of her thoughts; they were all the same.

As she closed the drawer, from the corner of her eye, she saw something flutter in the air and silently land on the ground. Without putting any pressure on her aching feet, she bent down to retrieve the item and decided it was best to sit in the desk chair, seeing as she didn't want to further damage her limbs. Once she was comfortable, she examined the object and saw that it was a photo. There her family sat, beautiful in every context, surrounded by more love than that small photo could ever hold. She looked at all the faces and tried to go back to the time when her family was complete; a time when she still had her lost boys.

The five beautiful boys that graced her family on the night of Wendy, John, and Michael's arrival back home, were a dominant part of the Darling family's happiness. Father enjoyed having more boys around the house and Mother was beyond thrilled to have more children to nurture and take care of. John and Michael laughed more when The Lost Boys were around than Wendy had ever heard them laugh in their entire lives.

Tootles, Curly, Nibs, and the twins. Her brothers. Her family…Gone. Even Aunt Millicent's son, Slightly, was gone.

They left so silently. Two years after their return, something changed in the boys. Something strange. All of a sudden, their behavior changed and they no longer showed their desire to want to live with the Darling's. When Wendy observed this strange occurrence, she thought nothing of it and assumed that it was just coincidental that they were all acting this way. How wrong she was.

The boys knew their time with the Darling's was coming to an end. One night, as the Darling family slept in their beds, five boys crept from their room and slipped into the dark nursery where Wendy slept. Wendy thought it had all been a dream but looking back on it now, she recalls the shapes of shadows moving across the floor and the sound of the window creaking as it was being opened.

When the sun rose the next day, Mrs. Darling did as she had done for years and woke up her children. The sound of her screams when she saw that her new sons were gone, was a sound that Wendy was sure she would never forget. She never got to say goodbye to her brothers for they left without a note, without a sign, and without any indication.

Wendy had had enough. With delicate hands, she set the photo down and picked up her leather-bound storybook that had been lying on top of drawings and old notes. In this book, she kept her favorite stories that she used to tell her brothers; some of them were well known and others she had scribbled down off the top of her head but, it had been years since she had written anything. The front cover was worn but still smooth. Wendy flipped through the pages with her hand and inhaled the sweet smell of knowledge and adventure. Hundreds of words flew past her vision as she scrolled through the text: Cinderella, magic, dancing, pirates, Peter.

Peter.

Before she could waste another thought on empty hope, Wendy slammed the book shut with force and threw it back on the desk. The leather made an extensive ruckus and as if right on time, Wendy could hear the sound of the front door being thrown agape and hitting the opposing wall.

"George, _please_!" Begged Mrs. Darling from downstairs; she never enjoyed confrontation.

Within seconds of the door being closed back shut, the rigorous sound of Mr. Darling's feet marching up the stairs filled the front hall. Knowing that she was going to be in for it, Wendy ignored the throbbing in her feet, and dashed across the room. He was fast to covering distance but Wendy was faster. Before he could reach the doorknob, Wendy removed the key from the hook on the wall and hastily locked the door shut. Mr. Darling jiggled the knob but soon realized that unless he had the key, he would not have access to the nursery. Several grunts of defeat came from her father followed by loud, deafening pounds on the wood.

"Wendy! Open this door instantly!" Bellowed her father from the other side of the threshold.

"No!"

"Do you realize what you've done?! You could have been the wife of a great heir! You could have helped this family!"

"I cannot! Leave me be father, just leave me be please!" She replied, now crying.

"Wendy, please just open the door!" Pleased Mr. Darling, who never intended on making his daughter cry.

At this, Wendy became so furious, so enraged with everything around her, every circumstance that she had been submitted to, that she screamed louder than had ever been heard in the Darling house, "GO AWAY!"

Suddenly all was still and quite in the world. Not a whisper could be accounted for and Wendy was sure all of England had heard the blood-curdling rage coming from her mouth. The air became tense and slowly, Mr. Darling's hand dropped from the other side of the door. Wendy, with tears still rolling down her cheeks, now felt the fury slowly inching off her face. Not knowing whether her father had descended back downstairs or not, she silently pressed her right ear on the door and was surprised when she heard the sound of his gentle breathing. About ten more seconds passed before he gave one last sigh of sorrow and whispered, "Goodnight, darling." before departing from the nursery door. Wendy was sure he didn't know she was listening but it made her feel slightly better to know her father was not entirely angry with her.

Soon, her parents could be heard talking from the kitchen and Wendy saw it safe to let Nana out of her room; the dog certainly could not stay with her all night.

All of the emotions and anger within her caused cold sweat to form down her back and Wendy knew that if she did not open a window, she would collapse from exhaustion. As soon as the glass reached its full height, she was met by the glorious wind that caused her skin to feel fresh and new again. Goose bumps rose on her arms but she saw that as a sign that her body temperature was being brought back down to a normal level.

From deep within Wendy's chest, a yawn escaped her lips and she couldn't help but conclude that her day had been filled with countless draining activities; the amount of crying she had done during the night triggered her eyelids to droop and she became unable to fight off the power of sleep. Knowing that there was no way she would have enough strength to change into a nightgown, she simply took her hair clip out, tossed it on her vanity and collapsed on her bed. Her soft pillow and warm blankets engulfed her with comfort and it only took seconds for her to fall asleep.

"_Peter, you won't forget me…will you?" Wendy asked innocently as she looked at the magnificent boy who floated in midair just feet away from her window._

"_Me? Forget?" He laughed. "Never." Peter smiled with his eyes as his profile drifted further back._

"_Peter!" Wendy shouted before he could get too far. "Will you ever come back?"_

"_To hear stories…" He started with his natural charisma, "…about me."_

_From the window, Wendy watched as Peter gave one last wave of goodbye before turning around and taking flight into the night sky. Further and further he went. _

"No!" Wendy tried to call after him, but as she rapidly sat up in her bed, fully clothed, she realized that she would never be able to reach him. He was gone and he didn't keep his promise at all. He didn't come back.

The ancient clock on the southern wall of the nursery suggested that it was half past midnight and Wendy came to the conclusion that she was no longer angry with her father, or anyone else for that matter. Now she had room in her mind that could be occupied with thoughts Peter.

The night after Wendy's last interaction with Peter, was the first of three hundred and sixty-five nights that Wendy would spend sitting at her window, waiting for Peter to come back. She would remain at the window for hours, holding on to the hope that he would fly back into her life. But, he never did. Finally, she gave up and forced herself to believe that if he really wanted to come back, he would have already done so.

And so on life went.

As the years passed, Wendy still thought about Peter often but she no longer sickened herself with tears of devastation. Instead, she felt nothing and that was much easier.

In her bed she sat, beautiful and frail. Her feet were no longer bleeding but she still got the occasional ache when she wiggled her toes or put pressure on her heels. Feeling the need to stretch after lying in a dreadful position for the last few hours, Wendy rose from the comfort of her sheets and took a few steps forward; the pain wasn't that bad. The mirror confirmed that her hair was an absolute mess but she quickly assessed the situation before it could possibly get any worse. With her hairbrush, she released every tangle until she was left with beautiful chestnut hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall.

The wind blew a few strands back over her shoulder and that was when Wendy realized that she had left the window open all night. Snow had started to lightly fall and Wendy was intrigued to see the magnificent outcome. She strode over to the window and leaned her head on the siding in order to admire her town. As Wendy looked over the quiet streets of Bloomsbury, she couldn't help but notice how the window had gotten smaller since she had last looked out of it. Even though it was only several inches lengthier than she, Wendy still found it hard to believe it was the same window. Then again, the more she thought about it, the more she concluded that _she_ was much smaller the last time she had a proper look out of the glass.

She rested both hands on either side of the frame and let the smell, the taste, the sound of the air take her away. It was peaceful. Looking down she noticed, for the first time it seems, how long a drop it is from the window to the ground. She couldn't believe that in all her years of living here –her entire life- no one had ever come close to falling out of the window. Of course, the children were very careful when they played with the window open but, as she looked at it, she saw that there were only a few inches of metal barrier that kept anyone from falling out.

The more Wendy thought about falling, the more interested she became in flying for the last time. Just one more fly. One more free fall and all would be finished. She would no longer have to worry about marriage, or appearances, or her body, or…or Peter. She would be free from the pain and the guilt and the sadness and the disappointment that she constantly felt.

Before her mind could protest, Wendy allowed her body to speak for her and slowly; she put her left foot on the small barrier. It was cold and hard but the pain was nothing compared to what she would feel in a second. Careful not to let go of the side frames just yet, she put all of her pressure on her left foot and lifted up her leg until her other foot was positioned inches away on the other side of the barrier.

Now, it was time to let go. She began a countdown in her head and made a silent vow to release her hands from the sides when she reached the last number. She began.

_10…9…_

"Goodbye Mother." She spoke aloud, into the night.

_8…7…_

"Goodbye Father."

_6…5…_

"Michael, John." Her voice cracked as she said her brothers' names.

_4…3…_

"Goodbye Nana."

_2…_

"Goodbye Peter."

_1…_

Wendy closed her eyes and allowed her fingers to slip from the siding to await the spectacular feeling of falling through the air. She waited and waited and waited. The free fall never came.

_Did it really happen that fast?_ She wondered.

She didn't want to question the mysteries of death and instead, choose to accept that God granted her with a quick and painless one. _It's all over now._

Her eyes fluttered open and instead of being in Heaven or Hell or wherever she belonged, she was still perched on the metal barriers of her windowsill. All was the same…

…except for the piercing green eyes that were staring directly into hers.


	4. The Magic Thimble

**Wendy**

At first, Wendy did not know if she was already dead. If she was, then it would be ideal for Peter to be the first thing she saw but if she wasn't, then it would come as a surprise to her to be looking at the one person she was sure she would never see again.

Peter had both hands on either side of Wendy's shoulders, ultimately preventing her from falling two stories down. She was slanted at an angle and when she opened her eyes, she was startled to see his face only inches from hers. For a moment, she became incredibly lost in his green eyes and she had to remind herself of the situation.

Here was a boy; a boy who, one night, scooped Wendy up and took her on the most amazing adventure. The time she spent with him made her feel young and innocent and adventurous and free. But, her time was eventually cut short. The heartbreak she experienced when Peter left her was emotionally draining, and made Wendy believe that he would never come back. Although that part was true, she still hoped; she still waited for him for a whole year, clinging on to the belief that he didn't forget her. Five years have passed since then, and now she's a woman. She's all grown up.

And here he was. Here was the person she had been waiting for all these years, standing- hovering, really- right before her very eyes.

His eyes were so captivating that she lost track of time and didn't know how long she had been silently looking at them. How perfectly beautiful he was. Before she could stop herself, a single tear snuck out of the corner of her eye and rolled down her cheek.

A sense of pain came over Peter as he witnessed his dear Wendy crying. Fearful that she would slip from the barriers if he moved back any, he thought it best to break the tense silence. In a whisper, he said his favorite word, "Wendy?"

Wendy didn't say anything, but blinked a few times at the complete shock left behind as he said her name. She couldn't believe this was happening. _I must really be dead_, she thought.

Peter continued, "Wendy, I think…I think you should go back inside now."

Wendy then realized that if anyone were to wake up in the night and look out their window, they would probably faint from the sight of her and Peter. She nodded her head in agreement and without taking her eyes off Peter, she slowly stepped off the barrier and onto the ledge of the window. Peter dropped his hands from Wendy's shoulders as she moved out of his reach. Very hesitantly, she took a step back and then stopped, waiting to see if Peter would follow or just fly away. Peter remained in midair as he watched Wendy return to safety. He knew what Wendy was waiting for and just as hesitantly as she, moved closer to the window. Keeping both eyes on Peter, she took a few more steps back until she was completely protected by the nursery walls. With every step she took, Peter followed until he was no longer out in the cold November air.

The nursery was still dark and eerie. He waited a few seconds, not wanting to alarm Wendy with sudden movements, before cascading to the other side of the room and turning on the oil lamp that hung on the wall. Immediately, the room became engulfed with the golden glow of light and both Wendy and Peter had the first chance to get a good look at each other.

As Peter sought back to land directly in front of Wendy, she noticed that for the most part, he looked the same as she remembered. His short, curly hair was still a sandy-brown color and his body was still covered by vines and leaves and small pieces of the forest. The only thing about him that had changed was his obvious increase in age. Peter was no longer a boy. His tall stance, muscular limbs, and masculine stature suggested that he was not a little boy at all. Peter was a man. Knowing that aging was not possible in Neverland, Wendy soon realized that Peter must have spent some time in the real world- in her world, and she became hurt.

Her eyes must have given her away because as she came to that conclusion, Peter moved toward her, trying to comfort her. "Wendy, please don't cry. Please!" He said, reaching his hand to her face. His voice was much deeper than it had been five years ago.

Before his skin could make contact with hers, she hastily moved back a step. "Don't."

Peter knew that Wendy was hurt by his neglect but he didn't know if there was, perhaps, some fear in her tone. Was she afraid of him? Was she so deeply damaged by his absence that she couldn't bare to be touched by him at all? He knew coming back to the Darling house that he would have to face the challenge of receiving Wendy's forgiveness, but he never imagined that her disgust with him would be this much of an obstacle.

"Wendy, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Forgiven or not, Peter would always feel regret for what he'd done.

Wendy stared him hard in the eyes and tried not to be hateful towards him even though she felt like she could scream at any moment. When she spoke, her words came out frail and broken, "You say so…but I think it is your biggest pretend."

Wendy could distinctly hear his intake of breath after her words left her mouth. They were both thinking of the time when she had said that exact phrase before; when Peter claimed that he did not have feelings even though Wendy saw right through him. He couldn't lie to her. But, when he said he would come back five years ago, she believed him with all her heart.

There wasn't much more Peter could do at this point; he didn't want to leave her but he also didn't want to stay if it meant Wendy would be filled with anger. "Okay…" He said, defeated. Peter looked Wendy over one last time. She was just as beautiful as he remembered. He could never forget her captivating eyes and he prayed this wouldn't be the last time he ever saw them. "Goodbye."

Slowly, he turned back to face the window and sighed at the realization that she didn't want him anymore. The wind called to him, beckoning him to come forward and forget he ever returned. Within a few short steps, he was back at the ledge. The moonlight doused him in silver as he prepared for flight.

Wendy watched, silently, as he leant back on his heels and bent his knees. If she blinked, she would surely miss his departure. Peter let go of one last lungful of air and jumped, but before his feet could even leave the wood, Wendy shouted, "Don't!"

Abruptly, he landed back on his heels and turned to face Wendy. "Don't?" He asked. That word seemed to be very popular tonight.

"I don't want you to go." Wendy said softly. "I don't want you to leave again."

Deep inside Peter, there was a hope that Wendy would never truly want him gone and it filled him with endless joy to have his suspicion confirmed. He knew, right then that Wendy didn't hate him. He just had to deal with her anger and trust that she would be forgiving. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise." He replied, meaning every word with every ounce of his being and hoping that she would believe him. A huge smile spread across his face as he stepped back into the nursery.

Wendy nodded, hoping that he was telling the truth. "Tell me why you look different." She said, not as a demand but as a request.

Even though he knew this question would be coming at some point, he still didn't know how to fully explain. "It's a long story."

"It's a good thing I like stories then." Said Wendy, challenging him and taking a seat cross-legged at the head of her bed. Peter was quick to follow suit and sat at the other end of the bed in the same position.

He took a deep breath, "You see…five years ago- when I returned back to Neverland- I realized something. I realized that I was alone. You were back here and you had the lost boys with you and you had your family and I…I didn't have any of that. Sure, I had Tinkerbell but it wasn't the same as having an actual person to talk to and spend time with." He paused to gather his thoughts and see if Wendy was paying attention; she was holding on to every word. "So, I came back to look for my family. That's why I've grown. That's why I'm not a boy anymore; in this world, my age caught up to me." He stopped and gave Wendy a second to process his words.

"And how long have you been here?" She asked, almost sure that she already knew the answer.

Peter looked down and fumbled with his fingers as he spoke, "A few months at a time, on and off, for the past five years." That sentence hung in the air like dust.

"You've been here?" She said, trying not to raise her voice. "The whole time?"

Peter nodded and immediately became ashamed. "But, it's not like I haven't been around since then. I've flown over your house loads of times. And…and sometimes when you were asleep or when you were brushing your hair, I would fly by and sit on the windowsill, just to watch you for a bit."

Wendy couldn't believe it! "How could you sit there and watch me and not even try to talk to me? I thought you would never come back but apparently you've been here all along!" Her voice had definitely gotten louder and she had to remind herself that the rest of her family was sleeping and the last thing she wanted was a rude interruption by a curious parent.

"I know I should have," Peter began, hoping Wendy would calm down, "but I couldn't. How could I Wendy? This is your life. Here. This is where you belong."

"How can you say that when I've been miserable every day you've been gone?" Replied Wendy with sorrow. "I've been waiting for five years and now it's too late…"

"Why?" Peter asked.

"Because, Peter! Since you've been gone, things have changed a bit around here." Wendy didn't mean to be cold but it was frustrating to her that Peter could act like nothing had changed between them, between everything.

"Nothing's changed, Wendy." Peter knew that not everything was the same but he had still hoped his words were true.

"You don't understand." Wendy started as her cheeks began to heat up with aggravation. "You don't see that I'm not the same person." Suddenly, her body became heated again and she knew she couldn't sit still for much longer. She stood up from her spot on the bed and left Peter staring as she paced around the room. "I mean look at me! I don't even _look_ the same! How can you tell me that nothing has changed when you and I are both proof that everything has?"

"You're right." He began, "I don't understand. I don't understand why you're being so difficult. You're still Wendy and I'm still Peter. Why does it have to be any more complex than that?"

"Because…" Wendy wanted to tell Peter about the happenings of that evening even though she knew that it would probably upset him. "I'm all grown up. I don't play with dolls or pretend I'm a pirate with my brothers or write stories anymore." Her heart sank a little as she realized that was the cold, hard truth. "Now, my days are filled with lessons and manners and…and marriage."

Peter's face had definitely lost its' color as that last word filled the room. "Marriage?" He couldn't believe it. Not Wendy.

Not _his _Wendy. "You're getting married?"

Wendy couldn't bring herself to answer out loud and she didn't need to, for her blank expression spoke clearer than she ever could. "I have to. I don't want to but I have to."

Peter stood up from the bed and glided over to where Wendy was now standing by the window. He grabbed both sides of her arms and stared deeply into her eyes. "If you really don't want to…then come back with me to Neverland."

"Neverland." She had been dreaming about returning to Neverland for the longest time and now that the opportunity presented itself to her, it became too overwhelming and she couldn't wrap her head around the idea of leaving behind her lost life. The last time she left her family she had nearly forgotten their existence and she didn't want to be in that predicament again. Then again, if she stayed she would be forced into doing something that she really didn't want to do. She could always come back to her home but if she ever got married, her father would make sure it was permanently.

Peter's eyes were filled with nothing but complete sadness and heartbreak. He hated himself every day for deserting Wendy and not letting her know that he had never really left. When he saw Wendy leaning out of her window about to greet her death, he promised himself that he would never abandon her again. If he had anything to do with it, he would never again allow her to feel miserable, alone, or forgotten.

"Come back to Neverland." After all he had put her through, convincing her to leave her home would be a difficult task.

"I can't." Although it made perfect sense to leave with Peter, she couldn't easily sway herself to leave her parents and brothers.

Peter's fingers had dropped from Wendy's arms and were now tightly holding on to her hands. He looked down and became entirely serene at the sight of his hand containing hers. Her skin was so soft and it looked nicely next to his.

"You can. You're just afraid." Wendy knew it to be true but she didn't expect Peter to come out and say it.

Peter looked up from their hands and peered into her eyes where her beautiful soul was laid out in front of him like a book ready to be read. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

She doubted that it would really be that simple. As a child, she found the idea of leaving home to be quite easy to consider. Now that she was older and wiser, she didn't know if it was possible for her to go through that process. But, as that thought mauled over she realized that she would eventually have to leave anyway. What if she had accepted William's proposal? Surely, they would not live with either of their parents.

The more she thought about Neverland, the more she really wanted to go. At this moment, there was nothing she wanted more than an adventure. And even though she was still angry with Peter, she didn't want to be without him.

"Wendy?" Peter was waiting for her to reply. His face held a look of hope as he prayed that she would agree to return back with him.

In this case, the good far outweighed the bad, Wendy realized. She would continue to be miserable if she stayed so it seemed logical that she only go back to her favorite place. But, there was one little thing missing…

"You see Peter," She began trying not to give herself away, "I don't know if I _can_ go for I have forgotten how to fly."

As soon as he realized what she meant, Peter's face became alive again. He nearly hit the ceiling as he flew around with utter excitement. This reminded him of the first time Wendy had agreed to come to Neverland with him, only now, he was much more excited and he had no intentions of ever letting her go again.

Peter landed back in front of a gleaming Wendy who was overjoyed to see him that content. Eager to not waste anymore time, Peter grabbed Wendy's soft hand and began to lead her to the window. "We must leave now! There's so much to do, I have so much to show you! The mermaids, the Indians, OH we must go to the mooncave, and I'm sure you want to see the Lost Boys." He somehow managed to gasp between his words that he had been speaking at an unusually fast rate. "The Lost boys! Oh they'll be so happy to see you! We have to leave!"

"But, Peter…" Wendy had been trying to fit a word in but Peter was talking too fast and his strong voice overpowered her weak one. "Peter!"

At last, Peter stopped and looked at Wendy with confusion, wondering why she was not as excited as he. "What? Is something wrong? Don't you still want to go?"

"It's not that." She said calmly trying to reassure him. "I really _have_ forgotten how to fly." That's when she noticed that the key element to her flight was missing. "Where's Tinkerbell?"

"She's back in Neverland watching over the boys." Peter replied.

"Then how am I supposed to go back with you?" She asked. "Unless you happen to have another fairy lying around then I'm afraid I won't be able to fly."

"Wendy…I think you keep forgetting who you're talking to." He said with a smirk. Without letting go of Wendy's hand, he moved closer. His face was only mere inches from hers; he could taste the sweetness of her being. He reached up his other hand and placed it where her cheek met her neck. Peter leaned in a little closer until only an inch or two separated their lips. He waited for her to object to his actions but, when she didn't, he closed the distance and his eyes and met her lips with his.

Kissing Peter was exactly as she remembered it, only much more magnificent. She was in no way expecting him to kiss her but when he did, her body lost all feeling and she became weightless. Wendy had come close to kissing other boys but no other kisses would ever compare to the one she shared with Peter. He was the true possessor of her hidden kiss.

She didn't remember how long the kiss lasted but when she opened her eyes, she was surprised to find herself floating in midair. Wendy gasped, "How did you do that?"

"I told you," he began, "I'm Peter Pan. Thimbles are magic." Peter then flashed Wendy a dazzling smile that left her cheeks blushing.

She giggled a little at his confusion of the word and didn't mind at all that they were still very close together. Wendy was still dazed over their kiss and she wouldn't mind to stay like this for a little longer.

However, now that Wendy had the capability to fly, Peter was determined to seduce her into the night sky. His hand that had been cupping her face moved back down her arm until it was holing on to her other free hand. Slowly, he began to inch closer and closer to the open window; he moved backwards as he pulled Wendy along with him. Peter was the first to be admitted back into the cold air but before Wendy could be completely out of the confines of the nursery, she stopped both arms on either side of the window just as she had done earlier that night.

Wendy turned around to admire the nursery one last time; she didn't know when or if she would come back. Her room was simple and lovely and peaceful and perfect. It reminded her very much of her brothers who were soundly asleep in the next room. This time, Wendy saw it best not to bring them along for she wanted her own adventure and she knew it would be too much of a hassle to explain Peter's arrival to them. She couldn't bear to think of how her brothers or parents would react when they woke up in the morning to find Wendy missing from her bed.

Peter's presence slid up behind Wendy as she thought about her family. His body was so warm and comforting and Wendy knew she was making the right decision, but it was still hard. He moved closer until his head was right next to hers and his mouth was inches away from her ear.

He whispered, "Forget them Wendy…forget them all."

Wendy couldn't help but smile at his use of the same words that were made five years ago.

Peter was delighted to see that Wendy had not forgotten the significance of the phrase. He continued with as much seduction and wonder as he had used the first time, "Come with me where you'll never, never have to worry about grown up things again."

Wendy turned around to face Peter so she could deliver her part just like she did when she was nearly thirteen, "Never…is an awfully long time."


End file.
